The invention relates to a fabric covered, tubular metal rail and a method for forming such a rail, in particular, such a rail closed with a lockseam and which is suitable as a bottom rail in a blind, e.g. a venetian blind or roller blind.
Blinds for covering windows are available in many different configurations and materials depending on the appearance desired. In one of these configurations a traditional, slatted Venetian blind may be provided with rigid fabric slats or metal slats covered by a fabric layer. It should be apparent that it is desirable that all the components of the blind have the same external appearance. However, the rigidized fabric or the thin sheet material from which the slats are made is not suitable for the head rail and the bottom rail of the blind which are the load bearing members. It is therefore necessary to make these rails out of a stronger material such as metal which will provide support for the blind, but does not have the desired appearance. This is also true for the bottom rail of a roller blind whereby the actual blind material is a fabric sheet.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a metal rail and a method for making the rail suitable for use in a blind which has an outer appearance that matches the fabric of the slats or of the sheet material of such a blind.